My Hitachi EX270LC (HINO engine) has two engine oil filters: the spin on filter on the engine and a bypass filter located at the rear corner of the engine compartment. The local Hitachi parts dealer (WAJAX) does not stock the bypass filter. They say that most owners of these machines have disconnected the bypass filter by plugging or disconnecting the the lines running to the bypass filter. So I just changed the oil and the spin on filter. I'm wondering what the bypass filter does. Is it necessary? Is it better to leave it connected and special order a filter for it? Will it hurt anything not to change that filter and just change the spin on filter?
It is a large filter that keeps the soot level down in your oil.You can run without it, but i personally think engine life is greatly increased with it.There is a cheap place to buy them ,called nicola filters in Abbotsford bc .They are usually half of what the stealer charges.
Thanks for the tip. I'm not in BC, but I might call them and check on what they have. Do you have a phone number for Nicola Filters? I found Nicland Filters but not Nicola.
Get the number off it and find a Fleetgard or Baldwin etc replacement . I'm astonished anyone would plug the lines to save $40 and risk the engine wear .
A bypass filter is to filter out smaller particles than what the full flow filter can. The full flow filter has to have larger holes in the filter paper to allow all of the oil to pass through before lubricating the engine, and catches only the larger contaminants. The bypass filter filters a small portion of the oil and catches the fine contanimants and returns the oil back to the sump. If it wasn't required, then the manufacturer wouldn't have fitted it to the engine.
WIX should have it too....we run all WIX filters and have no problems getting odd filters for everything... they make filters for things as small as my bosses Kubota RTV up to big air filters for our 955L, if you call them they have fairly good phone people that should be able to cross reference for you
Swap out the cartridge bypass filter for a spin-on adapter plate and bypass spin-on filter. The adapters do not cost much and this makes changing the filter a lot quicker and cleaner. Adapters are available at NAPA (Wix) and these take a 51759 element usually. You can also modify the bypass filter to a spinner set up. Look here-> http://www.spinnerii.com/index.cfm/div/divID/44/divid/0 These work very well at trapping soot and debris and are easy to examine visually. This said, there was the fact that engine manufacturers used to consider the bypass filter system oil capacity as a needed portion of their engines total oil requirements, Cummins especially. Those that block off the bypass filter system may need to take this into account.
I looked at the business card in my wallet and your right it is nicland filter.The number is 604-856-9451.I buy all my filters there now and save alot.I agree with surfer joe that the oil spinner would be a great set up too.They work really well.